Selfish (ONE SHOT)
by sailorillyana
Summary: Their past was riddled with tragedy, but they're given another chance. Will fate change this time around, or will they find themselves the victims once again? MinakoxKunzite R&R, please!


Minako sat up abruptly, breathing heavily. "Dreamt about him again, huh?" Artemis asked from the foot of her bed, awaken by the sudden movement. The girl sighed in response. "Mina, you know better than that," the white cat groaned.

As if on cue, there came a knock on her window. Ignoring Artemis's warnings, Minako slowly got up and threw the window open. The slightly older, silver haired man that she had expected to show up every night for the last few weeks entered her room. He gave the young blonde a white, dazzling smile. "Minako, my love. I've missed you." She embraced the man, breathing his name as he kissed the top of her head. Artemis, disappointed, decided a walk through the city would be better than being near them.

"I wish we didn't have to meet like this, Kunzite. Secrets are so unlike me." She buried her head into him. After the senshi defeated Beryl, the Shitennou were reborn and had to work their way into present society. It took a while for the memories of Venus and Kunzite having dated in their past life to come back to everyone, which wasn't until after the defeat of the Black Moon Clan. It was a tragic recollection, and Minako swore she knew better, but they had an unavoidable connection.

"Nonsense," the man chuckled. "I prefer it. We're alone and I get you all to myself."

"Selfish, are we?" She asked, pulling back to shoot at him with an accusatory look.

He gripped her tighter, "We just have so much to make up for."

She pressed her palms against his chest and pushed him back. "I'm still a little worried, you know?"

Her eyes were downcast, so he lowered to their level, "Hey, this is different, okay? I'm not going anywhere." He pecked her cheek, right below her eye, and smiled hopefully.

"Kunzite, I just..." He kissed her into silence.

"You're not being fair," she complained as he fiddled with the buttons on her pajama shirt.

"I thought you loved that about me. I play dirty."

* * *

"Minako!" Usagi squealed, "You've been seeing Kunzite!"

They were walking to meet up with Mako, Rei, and Ami. Minako gave her an odd look, "No, I'm not. What gave you that idea?"

Usagi snickered and pointed at Minako's neck. Clearly she had missed the, uh, bruise there. Minako's face turned bright red and snatched the scarf off of Usagi's neck to cover it. "Hey! That's mine!"

"You can't tell anyone," was all Minako said. It upset her, having to keep the only real love she ever experienced a secret from those who meant the most to her.

"Minako," Usagi murmured sadly.

"I'm serious, Usagi. Rei is especially pissed that we're even friends. She remembers what happened the last time we fell into each other, how it ended in the deaths of both of us, and how it devastated all of you." Minako blew a puff of air up, ruffling her bangs. "I just don't want to deal with the blowback right now. In time, maybe I'll tell everyone else. But it has to be me, okay?"

Usagi rolled her eyes, "Fine. That scarf looks better with your outfit anyway."

Minako almost hated Usagi. Her and Mamoru's love in the past was forbidden, too, and yet here they were. Their love ended in tragedy, but because Minako and Kunzite's deaths in their past life were unrelated to Metallia's attack, they ran the risk of repeating the same fate now that Metallia was out of the picture. But it wasn't Usagi's fault that her past life was so tragic, or that their past fates had the habit of repeating themselves.

She sulked during the rest of the walk, mulling over how the hell she's supposed to not repeat history and be happy at the same time. She could be happy without Kunzite, of course, but whether or not she wanted to be was an entirely different story all together.

* * *

**[[Flashback]]**

_It was a beautiful evening on Earth. The weather was clear and the sun was setting against the oceanic horizon, beautiful colors erupting from each part of the sky. Kunzite felt it perfect for an evening stroll with his fiancee, who was visiting from the Moon Kingdom. He never worried about his safety, or Minako's, as they were both soldiers anyway. They were safer than most, to say the least, from the minimal yet still existent crime in the kingdom of Earth. _

"_Minako," Kunzite said gently as they walked hand-in-hand down the road, which was essentially dirt that had the grass stripped away from it and was flattened with all of the carriage rides and everyday citizens using it as their main roadway. "Have you thought much of my proposal?_

_The princess of Venus smiled, "Yes. Often, in fact." She turned her head away to hide her blushing face, "But I also think of how we should wait for King Endymion and Princess Serenity to marry, just so that when we are united, we know where we would be stationed."_

_Kunzite squeezed her hand, "I would live anywhere with you, Earth or Moon."_

"_Or Venus," she added with a sad sigh. Minako missed her home planet, and neither her friends nor her lover seemed to fill the void completely._

"_Or Venus," he repeated happily._

_She released his hand and threw both of her arms around his waist, effectively stopping their walk. "You're the best, you know that?"_

_In reply, he put one arm around her, "I've been told that once or twice before, I think."_

_Minako released him, leaving only one arm around his waist, and they began to walk again, in silence this time, taking in the scenery and the scents._

_But that was when Minako heard a crunch behind them as someone stepped on a leaf. It wasn't abnormal for citizens to be walking around at night, but something about it just seemed so... _wrong_. She stopped and turned around to a sword behind held to her throat. _

_Kunzite stepped aside and pulled his out, but the stranger spoke first, his voice deep and grainy. "Make another move and I'll kill her." Using his misplaced focus, Minako smacked the sword aside with her arm, cutting her, and kicked the man directly in the nose. But that was the moment when someone snuck up behind them and thrust the sword through Kunzite's heart, killing him immediately._

_Minako screamed as she watched the only man she loved die in front of her, bleeding out. In that anger, she drove her sword through the neck of the man who murdered him. In the next breath, she succumbed to the same fate as Kunzite when the other criminal regained consciousness and repeated the action._

_Even after almost a hundred extensive investigations, as per the Moon Princess's requests (they were much more like begs), the criminals were never found and the motive was left unknown._

**[[End Flashback]]**

* * *

They reached the Crown Fruit Parlor and took their usual booth, the five of them chatting away about the defeat of Beryl, Wiseman, and the odd sightings that had been reported lately.

"Pure heart crystals," Ami said aloud. "Talismans? I wonder what it is they want with them."

Minako wasn't saying much. Most of her replies were mindless head nods and murmurs.

"Minako!" Rei snapped, "What's wrong?"

Taken aback, the girl raised her head and gave Rei a strange look, "Nothing, I'm fine. I just hate talking about the enemies. Always have."

Rei rolled her eyes, "Well snap out of it, this is important."

"Yeah, right. Sorry." She fiddled with the straw in her shake and tried to pay attention, but her mind just kept going back to her secret affair.

"What do you think, Minako?" Mako said, though her voice sounded so far away... "Minako? Minako!"

She finally snapped out of it, "Oh. Sorry. What do I think about what?"

Mako face-palmed, "Christ, Minako. Can't you pay attention for five minutes? What's been up with you? Did something happen?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Minako saw Usagi squirming to keep the secret. But, it seemed now was a better time than ever. "I'm sorry, you guys. I've... I've been seeing Kunzite."

Rei, Mako, and Ami all gave a collective gasp. Ami spoke first, "Minako, that's not a good idea."

"Not a good idea?" Rei asked angrily. "That's the worst decision ever!"

Mako just shrugged, "Does he truly make you happy?"

She only paid attention to the last question, and began to answer as Usagi stood up, "They're _in love_!" Minako sank down in her seat and cursed Usagi's name.

Rei's head snapped to stare at Minako, "Minak-"

"I know!" She finally yelled, sitting up in her seat. She was just so sick of being belittled for her decisions. "I know, it's such a bad idea! I'm going to get myself hurt! We're both going to die. Again!" They were getting a lot of weird stares at this point. "I get it. But how he makes me feel? It's amazing. He fills this unimaginably large void in my heart, left by I don't fucking know what! I know the risks. Please, just stop. Just quit." She stood up and stormed out, face red with anger.

The girls exchanged wary glances, and Ami sat further back in the booth, lost in thought. The rest of them had been allowed to date the generals after they were released from Beryl's spell, Minako only wasn't because of the tragedy that occurred so many centuries ago. She and Zoisite had been on numerous dates, for example, and were planning more.

"I don't blame her," Ami peeped. "They were the most romantic of all of us. It isn't fair of us to keep them apart. It's almost selfish."

Rei looked at her, and there was fire in her eyes, "Selfish? It would be selfish of them to get killed just because they couldn't keep their hands off one another!"

"That really isn't fair, Rei." Mako gave her a stern look. "We all remember how they were back then. And maybe this time would be different."

Usagi finally talked, "I agree with Mako and Ami. It's not fair. They can take care of themselves. I'm sure they're much more wary now."

Rei slammed her fist on the table and stood up, "If you're all okay with this, then fine. Whatever." She left in a hurry.

"I just don't get what's up with Rei," Mako said as she moved her right leg underneath her. "She's been so on edge about this whole thing. You guys think that maybe she sees something in the fire? It's the only really reasonable explanation. Although, I think she would tell us if she did, but I can never tell with her."

Ami looked around, "Maybe she can't see anything and that's why she's worried?" It almost made too much sense.

Elsewhere, Minako hunted down Kunzite. She was telling him everything, crying about how she wished her friends understood, about how she just didn't get why Rei wouldn't listen to her. He held her in his arms as they sat on his couch in the living room of his small apartment.

"It's okay for them to be worried about you, you know," he softly whispered. "My friends are worried about me as well."

She let out a sob, "I just want to be allowed to feel and to love you and be happy."

He chuckled, "Well, they know now, so I guess you can. They can't stay mad at you forever."

She pushed her face into his chest, "They'll try their best."She stifled another sob, "Mamoru and Usagi were allowed to love each other. Ami and Zoisite, Makoto and Nephrite, Rei and Jadeite. But no, not Minako and Kunzite. That's too dangerous."

He grabbed her arms and pushed her away from him, "Minako, it's okay. We're still together, aren't we? Your friends' disapproval doesn't change anything."

Minako began to furiously wipe her eyes, "Oh god, you're right. I'm just over reacting. I'm sorry."

He laughed, pulling her back into him, "Okay, now you really need to calm down. It's all right." He rubbed her back. "So, how about dinner? Hm?"

She pulled away from him again and looked at the ground, "I could go for some dinner." He chuckled and rose to his feet, taking her with him. He started to walk toward the door but she tugged on his arm, "Dinner can wait another hour or so, can't it?"

* * *

The couple was cuddling on the bed when Minako's communication watch went off. She groaned and pulled away from her lover, lifting it to her face. "What's up, guys?"

"Minako!" Ami was running. "There's been an attack and the daimon is too strong. We need your help! We're at the stadium downtown."

Minako groaned and rolled out of bed, throwing on some clothes. "I'll be back, Kunzite. Sorry we have to cancel dinner for the night." She walked to the bedroom door.

"Hey, Minako?" He asked, his hands behind his head, sitting up against the headboard.

She turned around, "What is it?"

"I love you," he said with a smile and a wink.

She rolled her eyes, "I love you, too, Kunzite."

Her smile disappeared as she reached the front door, though, and quickly turned to undeniable sadness. She couldn't come to terms with her love. It felt selfish to love him, and selfish of her friends to not want her to love him. She didn't know which she worried more about, and she didn't know who to be angry with, she just was.

The scene at the stadium was a pathetic display. The daimon had completely thrown everyone off. "Venus Love-Me Chain!" She shouted, distracting it just long enough for Sailor Moon to do her job.

"Venus!" Sailor Jupiter yelled after her as she turned to go back to Kunzite's.

Venus turned around. "What?"

Sailor Mercury spoke next, "Please don't be angry with us."

"I'm not angry with you. I'm just- I don't know." She sighed in defeat, "I've been a pathetic wreck the last few days. I'm sorry, you guys."

Sailor Mars still stood back from the girls as the rest of them rushed to hug her, but eventually gave in. "I'm not okay with it. But if you're happy, I'm happy, Minako."

"Mars!" Venus smiled, cutting through the group to embrace the red- and purple-clad soldier.

* * *

The next two months were a breeze. Well, aside from having to defeat the Death Busters and living through Sailor Saturn abolishing just about everything. For Minako and Kunzite, things only got better. They were able to go on dates with their friends: visits to the park, movies, dinners, museum tours. All of it.

"I love picnics," Minako said, a slight aloofness playing at her tone. She was latched on to Kunzite's arm.

The tall man laughed, "I love them when I'm with you." The weather was so clear, so beautiful.

They were so happy. They almost didn't see the car coming. Kunzite almost didn't have enough time to push Minako out of harm's way. He almost got away. All Minako remembered was screaming, the sirens, the officers' voices as they questioned her, tried to calm her, and the machines in the ambulance. It all sounded the same; a muffled memory that wasn't real. Couldn't be real.

But the waiting room was so cold, and her friends' words were so empty. She was in shock and just wanted the doctors to tell her everything was okay, to let her go in and see his smiling face again. She believed in it. She had to; she had nothing else.

It took hours for the doctor to show up, bags under his eyes and failure painted all over his face. "I'm sorry," was all he had to say before Minako fell to the ground on her knees. _He can't be gone. He can't be. How can he be so selfish? _She didn't hear anything else he said. She didn't care. She didn't care that the driver had fallen asleep at the wheel, his family problems leaving him sleep-deprived and weak, all she cared about was that he took from her the one thing she loved the most.

Minako locked herself in her room for a week. She spoke to no one, not even Artemis, and subsisted on the few plates of food her mother placed just inside her bedroom door. She considered joining him in death quite a few times, but something kept pulling her back. Whether it was thinking of her friends or Kunzite's memory begging her to not repeat the same fate again, she didn't know.

There was one night in particular when she cried herself to sleep. She dreamt of him, and they were reborn into a new era, and they were allowed to be happy. And when Kunzite morphed into someone else – a man she had never met before – she awoke with the realization that he wanted her to love again. It would be selfish for his memory to hold her back. He wanted her to heal and he wanted her to be okay and move on. And hey, maybe she could.

* * *

**Author's Note**: I tried to make it devastatingly sad, but instead I gave a happy twist to the tragedy anyway. I don't know what's wrong with me. This is short and I feel like it reads as if it's thrown together, and for that I'm sorry ._. But okay, that's enough of me.


End file.
